Winch



May 23, 1961 G. GREENwooD WINCH 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. '7, 1959 mw m mw e WM w z wym 4 0 M May 23, 1961 G. GREENwooD WINCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 7, 1959 .0, mw W W WE .a e mam G *w W G M mn tes wrNcn Filed Aug. 7, 1959, Ser. No. 832,199 3 vClams. (Cl. 254-4143).

This invention relates to Winch devices, and more particularly to a Winch especially suitable for pulling electrical cables through conduits, and similar Operations.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved Winch device which is relatively simple in construction, which is compact in size, Vwhich is easily adjustable so that it may be firmly anchored between opposing surfaces, and which is especially adapted for use in restricted spaces.

A further object of the invention isto provide an improved Winch device especially adapted for use in pulling electrical cables through conduits and similar Operations, the Winch device being relatively inexpensive to fabricate, being durable in construction, being relatively light in weight, and being easy to set up for use wherever required.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and clairns and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an improved Winch device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the Winch device of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line -3-3 of Figure 2. I

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 4- 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross sectional detail View taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross sectional detail View taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, '11 generally designates an improved Winch device constructed in accordance With the present invention. The Winch device 11 comprises a ladder-shaped main frame 12, said main frame comprising a pair of spaced parallel sleeve members 13, 13 which are rigidly connected by a plurality of spaced cross rods 14. Telescopically engaged in the lower end portions of the sleeve members 13 are abutment legs 15, 15, said abutment legs being formed with spaced fastening apertures 16 and the sleeve members being formed with spaced apertures 17 which are registrable with the apertures 16 and which may be used to secure the abutment legs 15 in adjusted positions'by inserting suitable trans- Verse fastening members 18 through registering sets of apertures 16, 17. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the securing members may comprise suitable bolts which are provided With retaining nuts 19 so that the legs 15 will be secured in adjusted positions and locked therein when the nuts 19 are engaged on the securing bolts 18.

Telescopically engaged in .the upper portions of the sleeve members 13, 13 are additional abutment legs 20, 20, said additional abutment legs being rigidly connected by a transverse rod member 21. Theabutment legs 20, 20 areV secured in adjusted positions in the sleeve members 13, :13 in the same manner as the legs 15, 15,

ice

namely, by the provision ofl fastening bolts 22 which extend through registering apertures provided in thesleeve lmembers 13 and .the abutment legs 20.

Engaged on the ends of the abutment legs 15 and 20 are ,respective foot elements 23 which comprise circular plates 24 formed with sockets 25 being threaded to screw onto the threaded ends of thel abutment legs 20. Threadedly centrally through the plates 24 are outwardly directed pointed screw members 26 which may be adjusted so) that their pointed ends 27 project outwardly from the plate members -24 by desired amounts prior to the engagement of the members 23 on the ends of the abutment legs. The abutment legs may bev locked in their adjusted positions with respect to the sleeve members 13 after the anchoring elements 23 are engaged with the respective opposing surfaces, for example, the surfaces 28 and 29 illustrated in Figure 1, between which the Winch device is to be positioned. The pointed ends 27 of the screw members 26 engage in the opposing surfaces and prevent the members 23 from slipping along said surfaces.

Secured to the lower portions of the sleeve members 13, 13 are the spaced cross bars 30 and 31, said cross bars being provided with the spaced pairs of outwardly projecting apertured lugs '32, 32 and 33, 33. A Winch assembly 34 is mounted on the spaced cross bars 30, 31, said winch assembly comprising the Vertical main supporting plates 35 and 36 which are disposed inwardly i adjacent the lugs 32, 32 and 33, 33 and which are secured thereto by transverse fastening rods 37 and 38. The rods 37 and 38 pass through registering apertures in the corner portions of the plate members35, 36 and the lugs 32, 33, and the rods 37 and 38 are provided at their externally projecting portions with cotter pins 39 which lock the rods in place. A cable reel 40 is journaled between the Vertical plates 35 and 36 and is gearingly coupled to a Crank handle 41 through a conventional gear train 42. The gear train 42 includes a counter shaft 43 journaled between the Vertical plates 35 and 36, said counter shaft being provided with a squared end 44' adapted to be drivingly coupled to a suitable external power source,.so that the Winch assembly may be driven by a mechanical power source instead of being manually operated by the crank handle 41, if so desired.

Designated at 44 is a transversely extending support member which is rotatably mounted on the top portion of the ladder-shaped main frame 12. Thus, the member 44- comprises an intermediate sleeve portion 45 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft element 46 secured in the end portions of opposing, axially aligned sleeve elements 47 and 48 rigidly secured to the top end portions of the sleeve members 13, 13 and extending parallel to the cross rods 14. Integrally formed with the sleeve member 45 is the upwardly projecting arm 49 integrally formed at its top end with a ring member 50 which may be employed with a plurality 'of guy ropes as apmeans for steadying Winch structure 11 during erecton. This feature may also be used to steady Winch structure 11 when it is being used in an open area that has no upper supporting surface such as surface 28 shown in Figure l.

Integrally formed with the sleeve element 45 and projecting in opposite directions perpendicularly therefrom are the axially aligned arms 52 and 53, said arms being preferably of tubular construction. Integrally formed with the ends of the arms are the upwardly and inwardly inclined strut-bars 54 and 55 whichl are rigidly connected to opposite sides of the top portion of the upstanding arm 49 so as to rigidify the supporting member 44. Telescopically engaged in the arm 53 is an abutment leg'56 provided at its outer end with an abutment foot 57. VThe abutment leg 56 may be secured in adjusted positionin the arm 53 by the provisionV of transverse fastening bolts engaging through registering apertures provided in the members 53 and 56, similar to the bolts employed to secure the abutment legs 15 and 20 in adjusted positions. A sleeve-like bracket 59 is slidably engaged on the member 53, said bracket including depending spaced parallel lugs 60 between which is journaled a pulley 61. The sleeve-like member 59 may be secured in adjusted position on the member 53 by the same bolts employed to fasten the abutment leg 56 in adjusted position With respect to the member 53, for example, by a transverse fastening bolt 62, shown in Figure 3. i

A sleeve-like bracket member 63 is provided on the ann 52 and is secured on said arm by fastening bolts 64 extending through registering openings provided on the sleeve-like member 63 and the arm 52. The sleeve-like bracket member 63 may be secured in any desired position of adjustment on the arm 52. The sleeve-like bracket 63 is formed With a pair of depending parallel lugs 65 between which is journaled a pulley 66, the pulleys 61 and 66 being similar and being provided With grooved peripheries adapted to support the Winch cable 67 thereon.

The outer end portion of the strut rod 54 is connected to the respective sleeve members 13, 13 by the down- Wardly and outwardly inclined strut bars 68, 68, the outer ends of the bars 68 being detachably connected to respective apertured lugs 70, 70 provided on the sleeve members 13, 13 by fastening bolts 71, 71 which may be readily removed Whenever it is desired to allow the supporting member 44 to pivot on the shaft element 46, for example, to reduce the bulk of the framework of the device so as to allow the device to pass through a door- Way or other narrow space. Otherwise, the strut bars 68, 68 rigidly secure the support member in the substantially fixed position extending perpendicular to the plane of the ladder-shaped frame 12.

A set screw 75 may be provided on the sleeve element 45, said set screw being clampingly engageable with the tubular shaft element 46 to serve as additional looking means for clamping the support member against rotation With respect to the ladder-shaped frame 12, for example, Where it is desired to employ the support member 44 in an inclined position rather than in a position extending perpendicular to the plane of the frame 12, in which case the strut members 68, 68 are disconnected from the lugs 70, 70. However, under normal conditions, the support member 44 Will be in the position illustrated in Figures l, 2 and 3, and the set screw 75 vWill be tightened to lock the sleeve element 45 to the shaft element 46 in this position.

As shown in Figure 1, the Winch cable 67 extends over the pulleys 66 and 61 and is provided at its end vvith a suitable hook 80 which may be employed to attach the cable to the load to be pulled by the Winch assembly, for example, to the end of an electrical cable which is to be drawn through a conduit, or the like. The Winch device is mounted in a suitable position With the members 23 engaging the opposing surfaces 28 and 29, for example, engaging the ceiling and floor of a room in which the device is employed, and With the abutment element 57 engaged against a Wall or other stationary support.

The lower portions of the sleevemernbers 13, 13 are provided with bracket members 90 projecting therefrom opposite the Winch assembly 34, as shown in Figure l, the lugs 90 having rollers 91 journaled thereon, said rollers serving as supports for the device enabling the device to be rolled along the floor When it is folded to an inoperative condition. Thus, the support member 4-4 may be fastened in a position Wherein it is substantially coplanar With the ladder-shaped main frame 12 of the Winch device, and the device may then be rolled along the floor, being supported on the rollers 91, from one location to another. i

As shown in Figure 3, the top portions of the sleeve members 13, 13 are preferably provided With vertical slots 92 through which the upper fastening bolts 18 extend, whereby the abutment legs `20, 20 may be adjusted exactly to their required positions to insure tight engagement of the framework of the Winch device between the floor 29 and the ceiling 28. V

As vvill be further apparent, when the device is folded up, namely, When the support member 44 is rotated to a position coplanar with the main frame 12, the pulleys 66 and 61 may be employed as rolling supports Cooperating With the lrollers 91 so that the device may be wheeled along the ground supported on said rollers 91 and said pulleys 66 and 61.

The pulley supporting sleeves 59'and 63 may be provi'ded With set screws instead of being secured by means of the transverse bolts 64 and 62,so that the sleeves may be adjusted to desired positions along the members 52 and 53 and may be secured in said desired positions by tightening their set screws. This arrangement is particularly desirable Where the sleeves 63 and 59 must be set to positions to counterbalance angular pulls on the pulleys 66 and 61 Where the Winch device is employed in an open location Where there are no parallel top and bottom surfaces between which the device may be anchored for support. Thus, a set screw 95 may be provided on the sleeve member 59 and a similar set screw may be also provided on the sleeve member 63.

The device is substaatially self-balancing under Vertical loading conditions, provided that pulley bracket sleeves 59 and 63 have been properly adjusted to counterbalance each other. However, it is desirable to employ guy ropes attached to ring 50 as a Safety precaution in the event of rupture of cable 67.

While a specific embodiment of an improved Winch device has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it Will be understood that various modifications Within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A Winch device comprising a ladder-shaped main frame, said main frame comprising a pair of spaced parallel sleeve members and a plurality of spaced cross rods connecting said sleeve members, respective abutment legs adjustably secured in the end portions of said sleeve members, a Winch assembly secured to one end portion of said main frame and including a cable reel rotatably mounted on -an axis parallel to said cross rods, and crank means drivingly connected to said cable reel, a transverse support member rotatably secured to the opposite end portion of said main frame and extending on opposite sides thereof, respective pulleys depe'nding from and journaled on the support member on the opposite sides of the main frame, and a Winch cable Wound on said cable reel and engaging over saidV pulleys, said support member being at times rotatabile to a position coplanar With the main frame so that said pulleys may be employed as rolling supports for the Winch device.

2. A Winch device comprising a ladder-shaped main frame, said main frame comprising a pair of spaced parallel sleeve members and a plurality of spaced cross rods connecting said sleeve members, respective abutment legs adjustably secured in the end portions of said sleeve members, a Winch assembly secured to one end portion of said main frame and including a cable reel rotatably mounted on an axis parallel to said cross rods, and crank means drivingly connected to said cable reel, a transverse support member pivotally connected at its intermediate portion to a cross rod at the opposite end portion of said main frame and extending on opposite sides thereof, detachable strut means connecting said support member to said main frame, respective pulleys depending from and journaled on the support member on the opposite sides of 'the main frame, and a Winch cable Wound on said cable reel and engaging over said pulleys, said support member being at times rotatable to a position e0- planar with the main frame so that said pulleys may be employed as rolling supports for the Winch device.

3. A Winch device comprising a ladder-shaped main frame, said main frame comprising a pair of spaced parallel sleeve members and a plurality of spaced cross rods connecting said sleeve members, respective abutment legs adjustably secured in the end portions of said sleeve members, a Winch assemb'ly secured to one end portion of said main frame and including a cable reel rotatably mounted on an axis parallel to said cross rods, and crank means drivngly connected to said cable reel, a transverse support member pivotally connected at its intermediate portion to a cross rod at the opposite end portion of said main frame and extending on opposite sides thereof, detachable strut means connecting said support member to said main frame, a first depending bracket member secured to one end of said support member, a first pulley journaled in and depending from said first bracket member, a second depending bracket member slidably engaged on said support member adjacent its opposite end,

means to detachably secure said second bracket member to said support member in an adjusted position thereon, a second pulley depending from and journaled on said last-named bracket member, and a Winch cable wound on said cable reel and engaging over said pulleys, said support member being at times rotatable to a position coplanar With the main frame so that said pulleys may be employed as rolling supports for the Winch device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,307,681 Kalmbach Jan. 5, 1943 2,315,873 Richards Apr. 6, 1943 2,4193145 Kersenbrock et al. Apr. 15, 1947 2,604,303 Grady July 22, 1952 2.,652,937 Cutler Sept. 22, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 6,817 Great Britain of 1909 

